


curtain call

by berryargento



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project, Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: Drama & Romance, F/F, Progressing Timeline
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2018-09-20 21:48:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9517535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/berryargento/pseuds/berryargento
Summary: At the start, she sees her as a shy, plain little girl who'll only follows and supports them from behind. She never expect that there are many surprises the shy girl holds that makes her slowly fall.





	1. The Shy Dancer

She remembered clearly about that day when she had a little fight with her parents over the occasional moving. As a daughter of a family who owns a hotel chain business, Ohara Mari has been moving a lot from time to time, be it inside or outside Japan. They said it will be the last time, but Mari happened to overhear that they would be moving somewhere when the time persist. Though ‘the time’ hasn’t been decided, hearing the idea of another moving out, the little Mari that time had enough of it that she bolted out the room.

The sea of Uchiura was pretty, the sun already set the moment she ran aimlessly toward nowhere in particular. That day, Awashima Hotel had the first open house after her father arrived to take over as a manager, the lobby is full of local townspeople so Mari decided to seek somewhere empty. The back garden was void, only the lone fountain was there and the neatly-arranged topiaries.

Mari walked toward the direction of the fountain to get a better look of the sea when she noticed two girls were hiding behind the fountain. Her golden eyes blinked upon the discovery of the blue-haired girl in her suspender and the shyer one, black-haired girl in her dress hiding behind the first girl. Maybe they were around her age, she thought, and they were locals here.

“U-Um!” the blue-haired girl stepped forward. The gust of wind from the sea followed. “H-Hug?”

Mari was aghast, confused. She didn’t know what to do when the girl hugged her all of sudden, while another pair of green watched both of them in awe and her own golden widened.

[ That day, for the first time, she was relieved to be moving to nowhere like Uchiura, to meet the two little girls that changed her life forever. ]

* * *

As Mari moved in to the local elementary, she acknowledged the two girls from before. The girl filled with energy who loves swimming Kanan and the very shy, soft-spoken Dia who always followed them wherever they go. Kanan thought Mari was a foreigner, so she didn’t know how to greet her except with sudden hugs, and the three of them laughed at that. Because of their encounter, they played a lot together everyday. Well, mostly Kanan is the one who suggested what to play or where to go. They would go home together after school or meet up in Awashima Hotel every weekend.

Mari was glad to had friends like them, also she was happy that her father decided to settle in Numazu for a long time. She’ll be sure to cherish everything.

* * *

 

“Huh? Where’s Dia?” Mari asked one day when she saw that only Kanan showed up on the hotel lobby around weekend.

“Oh, she’s having a dance lesson today so she said she can’t come.”

“Dance ... lesson?”

Mari wanted to ask whether it is the same ‘lesson’ she took every afternoon, like horse-riding and violin when Kanan pulled her arm. “Want to see her? I know her house.”

The blonde was curious so she nodded, Kanan led the way. They took the ferry and then the bus to the center of the land. Most of the elder whom passed both of them asking where they were going to, some offered snacks where they politely declined. There also some adults who wanted to accompany them or telling that they were brave to ‘run errands’ far from the mainland. Mari only watched how Kanan responded them with ease, the townspeople were too nice.

“We are here!!”

They arrived at the grounds of traditional Japanese home with the nameplate ‘Kurosawa’ said on one of the wood gate. Kanan hopped to click on the bell, they waited until they got a respond.

At first it was like a static, though, before there’s someone else answering.

 _“This is Kurosawa's Residence. Who might you be?”_ a voice of refined lady in such mannered speech answered.

“We are Dia’s friend,” Kanan said. “We want to see Dia’s dancing.”

There was a merry laugh by the other side of the speaker. “ _Please wait a bit, I’ll get you.”_

The big wood fence was open not long, revealing a black-haired woman clad in black kimono holding a little, crimson-haired girl who’s hiding behind her mother when Mari and Kanan looked in.

“Now, now, these are your onee-chan’s friend, say hello.”

“O-Onee-chan?” both of them shouted in surprise. “Dia has a little sister?”

“Oh, she never tell?” Kurosawa mother laughed. Well, Mari remembered that Dia was not a type to talk much. “This little one is Ruby.”

Ruby gripped the hem of her mother kimono as she slowly gazed to the two, and quickly hides again. “A-A-Ah. H, Hello.”

Maybe she’s the one who answered the door earlier? Mari thought.

“Come on in, you two. Dia is in the center room practicing, I hope you’ll keep down and wait for a bit since the training is still in session. After the class finished, you can play with Dia."

Mari and Kanan chorused okay.

They were being guided to the room around the center after passing the long narrow tatami alley. The room where Dia practiced opened a bit for them to watch, Kurosawa mother asked them to wait there until Dia finished.

They could see Dia there, holding her fan and meticulously moved along the song in her red kimono. Mari personally never worn kimono before, but Kanan whispered telling that it’s hard to move when you’re wearing one. Mari watched in awe when Dia danced with ease, exchanging step-by-step in order with her teacher, her emerald were cautious, seems gleaming by each movement. For each and every turn, her black hair flicked, following the dance beautifully.

Was the usual shy, easily-scared Dia could be this—?

_Wait, what did she want to say again?_

“What’s wrong, Mari?” Kanan tilted her head, noticing Mari had been silent for some while.

Mari blinked, finally breathed out, shook her head vehemently from her own world. She couldn’t get the image of dancing little Dia inside her head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right, this is a slowburn DiaMari (progressing from their childhood to the timeline of now). Hello everyone. Hope you enjoyed it!


	2. A Tantalizing Step

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her life has been more than fulfilling, she thought.

Over the next few years, their friendship stayed the same. They went to the same middle school, living up with different hobbies to another; like, that time they waited when Kanan swim around the ocean, to the time both Dia and Mari went into the sea too while fully-clothed in their uniforms to play around or when Mari asked both of them to come while she’s tending Starbright, her favorite white pony. Dia has been a victim to his lick a few times already that the black-haired girl waited far outside the fence while Kanan and Mari move closer to feed him.

When they went to the same high school, Uranohoshi, something started to bug Mari.

That day, she was being called in again for another batch of scholarship papers the homeroom teacher needed to introduce. Over the years, perhaps because Mari’s fluency in English, being a half Italian-American, also with her good grades, bunch of scholarship requests have been coming to her. Mari listened to the teacher’s explanation ... though her mind drifted somewhere else.

_School idols._

She remembered yesterday when Dia and Kanan came to her desk after school with a single paper in hand. Something about ‘Love Live’ or whatnot. Dia explained about the history of the event thoroughly from ancient times—was it from ancient times? Anyways, she mentioned about a certain group who won the last Love Live a lot—with Kanan encouraged her to come with them to form the school idol group together.

“... So, Ohara-san, are you interested?” the teacher asked to Mari who was standing up in front of the teacher’s table for awhile.

School idols, the name rang true inside her mind.

 _There have been much excitements that they passed together as a group of three and there’s more?_ Mari thoughts adrift.

If they were becoming of a school idol, they would practice singing, dancing, composing songs, training hard for maintaining endurance and stamina, she recalled Dia saying something about her having a training regimen ready and Kanan pumped out to go running with them everyday.

It would be more fun going with them rather than having silly exchange program done, right?

“Ohara-san?”

Mari shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I have to refuse, _sensei_ ,” she said. “I want to save the school by being the school idol.”

* * *

 

 _Uranohoshi High was in the verge of closing down_ , the announcement of the board once said when they were admitted to the school.

Due to the number of declining students, there have been several times that Uranohoshi would be merged to a school in Numazu city. Several attempts also had been done  to prevent the school from closing by locals, but it has been on the limits. Becoming a school idol has been an option that Dia shouted out to keep the school from closing, but it still be a secret between the three of them. Once Mari agreed to join, they started to train for stamina, which is Kanan very good at ... well, _torturing_ the others.

“Alright, alright, another lap!” Kanan pumped her fist when they passed the vast sea before another track up to the stairs of shrine. “Come on, Mari, especially you, Dia!” Kanan snickered.

“Kanan-san, Mari-san, wait!” she huffed. Dia has been left behind a lot by the two.

“ _Go, go,_ Dia~ Or you’ll have to treat us drinks again!”

“Hey, no fair!”

The three of them laughed and picked up the pace, they raced to reach the top. Sadly, Dia was nowhere in match to both Kanan and Mari so she finished in the last place again, it has been going on for a week already and she didn’t get a hang of it.

“So ... the loser got us water?” Mari winked to a pouting Dia, who’s slumping to the nearby rock the moment she reached the top of the stairs.

“Hmph, next time I won’t lose!” the raven-haired girl exclaimed, though out-of-breath.

“Let me buy drinks then, I feel sorry for you, Dia.” Kanan said, running past Dia and descend stairs to buy some drinks.

Both Dia and Mari then settled below the tree, stretching their legs out after the tiring run.

The air still fresh in the early morning they have been out. After the running, they would go for dance practicing around the beach. When they felt that they had enough for dancing, they would move to decide the song for Love Live, since Love Live competition only allowed an original song.

“Our ranks are still need some work, though,” Dia said after Mari talked about the song. “We can’t register for Love Live unless we’re above top 100.”

“We can work on that.” Mari was confident. “Speaking of which, Dia, you had your hair up again.”

When first time they started running, Dia let her hair loose. Mari suggested that Dia tied her hair like Kanan does, but then yesterday she showed up with her black hair being collected, braided  in a single bun.

“It’s better, right? I mean it’s way more refreshing.” Dia said, holding at her bun. “Is it weird, Mari-san?”

Mari tilted her head as she looked closer. Dia had her hair up in a very neat fashion, it really helped to cool down after the exercise more than she had her hair tousled. Also it showed her nape—

“Mari, Dia, I got your drinks~” Mari retracted her eyes away, turned to Kanan who waved two bottles of water.

_What is she thinking? No, Mari. No.  
_

“After this, how about dancing practice around the beach?” Kanan suggested, handing another bottle to Dia. “I’m excited about that dance moves you showed us yesterday, Dia!”

It’s not like Dia is an experienced dancer, but she has been the one who tutor them with every of moves she knew from her favorite idol groups to both of them. Kanan once said, Dia already get her flexibility but not for stamina, hence their training menu consist of more stamina building. Well, Kanan is not wrong per se, Mari agreed to it, she couldn’t help but to be in awe when seeing a hyper Dia danced. It was different than how she danced as a kid though, but ...

Dia blinked, slowly turning red, “H-Huh? Do you want us to dance _Cutie Panther_ again!?”

Kanan tilted her head, clueless. “Hm? I think it was ... _Bokura_ something ...”

“ _Bokura Ima no Naka de!”_ Dia finished. She whipped a gulp from her bottle. “Well then, what are we waiting for? Let’s go to the beach!”

“I thought you are tired?” Mari chuckled, giving Dia a sly smirk. “It’s different when you got into an idol mode, huh~?”

“S-Shut up! We’re aiming for Love Live so we should try hard!”

“Aye aye~”

—Mari liked to see Dia happy, heck, maybe more than that. She never knew that a serious, uptight raven-haired girl from exterior could be such rabid idol fan.

[ Unbeknownst to the blonde, certain emerald eyes watched her back as the three of them departed. And there, it sighs. ]


	3. A Waiting Uncertainty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She says to herself, she still has time to think.

She enjoyed her days with simply fooling around and doing their idol practice. Walking and dancing on the sand has been a second nature for her as of now, as the beach was the only spacious place for them to train. Kanan was excited to swim after the dance, which they would pass because they were too tired. At what limits Kanan’s stamina fared? No one can answer that.

Between the breaks of their dancing practice, the three would delve deeper to the original song they wanted to make, how the dance motion would be and what costume they should wear.

“We are Aqours so we might try _sailor-fuku_ ,” Kanan joked, writing on the sand to the same fashion as Dia was, the big Aqours with a tree branch. “You can make them, Dia?”

“I don’t think it will finish up fast, though,” Dia let out a hum. She paced back and forth her writing, leaving many footprints. “Also I need to measure both of you first. Oh, are the song already on making, Mari-san, Kanan-san?”

Kanan was in the charge of the lyrics and Mari doing the composing. The blue-haired diver accepted any kind of thoughts Mari and Dia submitting, though, she said the lyrics might change from time to time. Kanan looked over her shoulder to find Mari poking on her own sand castle. “Mari?”

“Oh~ _Sorry,_ ” the blonde blinked. “The song? I’ve got many ideas in mind ... maybe after we finalize the lyrics, I can show the completed song?”

“We can think of it when we’re in the club room,” Dia said, stretching her arm. “The summer school will start soon. We can do some brainstorming in the meantime while our practice time being cut.”

Kanan and Mari nodded at the idea. Dia surely thinking one step ahead from them.

“How about we wrap things up for today then?” Kanan jumped from her squatting.

Mari smiled, though her thoughts drifted back as when she first built her sand castle; a mix of exchange programs, song composing and Kurosawa Dia. She ran to follow the other two who preceded, watching her castle before it was washed away.

How long since she had hold up such facade? Mari thought to herself as she walked back from the teacher’s office to the club room, declining another batch of papers addressed to her for nth time of the month.

As far as she remembered, she wasn’t exactly hyper around Dia and Mari from the first time they had met. She was going along the flow whenever Kanan guided them and wherever Dia agreed. It was when she is being introduced to school idol that she walked more steps to Dia than she thought would. Before long, she had seen herself making fun of the raven-haired girl and how her other side of stoic, good girl figure overlapped her rabid idol fan version.

From talking to Kanan, she started to annoy Dia to simply hear how she yells. From speaking casually about class, she started to make fun of how Dia talked to simply see how she’s flustered. From spending time with only Kanan, she started to pull Dia from the spectator seat to join them. Mari wasn’t satisfied at Dia who’ll put herself at the lower list for the sake of somebody’s happiness.

Her merry step halted, so is her breath when she took a turn to the hallway before their club room.

 _How long since she had hold up such facade? On whatever purpose she’s behaving like this?_ Suddenly her lips pursed.

Mari shook her head once and continuing her walk again, her head was high. She should focus to have the fun, she shouldn’t thinking of something else that might weight her down.

... Right? 

* * *

 

 _Young Dreamer;_ finally the song they weaved had a name.

Kanan wasn’t much of a poet, actually, that thick-headed girl who only loves the sea needed to be thoroughly examined everytime she wrote up lyrics on the whiteboard. Mari would speak for Kanan not to use permanent marker and they would argue, Dia would be the one to break the ice and the three of them would laugh. It’s such a silly thing to debate over marker, though sometimes a little headbutt with Kanan is unavoidable.

Perhaps she was too tired because she fended off many of those ‘exchange students’ admission for a day; she shouldn’t let it get into her.

Right. Maybe she could make fun of Dia again today! Such brilliant idea that might as well put a light to her mood, she clapped her hands.

Mari took a sprint down the hallway, about to open the sliding door aloud like she would usually do but she quickly stopped when the room is all but static; the lyrics were written on the board but the marker (and the writer) is sleeping soundly on the club room’s table, hands folded as a support pillow.

Her golden blinked, somehow it’s unusual for the raven-haired girl to be off-guard. Mari slid the door open slowly and sneaks in. She noticed that Dia was holding her phone and a marker is away from her by centimeter. A message on her phone remained open for Mari to see.

 _‘Tell Mari that I’m helping pop’s shop today!’_ perhaps Dia wasn’t that long from her sleep.

Mari nodded to herself, it must be that time of summer when the tourist bustling in for diving session in the sea of Uchiura per usual. She then saw the board to notice where the incomplete lyrics heading, she needed to complete it.

She was about to pick the marker when Dia squirmed in her sleep, so far from her being soundless in acting. Mari retracted her hand, watching that the black-haired girl still fast-asleep.

Huh. Her initial wants to complete the lyrics is forever ruined. She proceeded to take a seat beside Dia, watching the sleeping girl.

Dia’s skin is surely smooth, Mari thought, different from Kanan’s dry ones because of salty water (which is her charm point, maybe diving a lot causing your skin sparkles?). She never once see the raven-haired girl up close, sleeping on top of it, because Dia would always be the last one who sleep between them, or it’s Mari that wasn’t aware of it. Dia has a round face, that forehead which usually full of crease because confronting her totally relaxed, her cheeks are red of summer heat, and her lips ...

Her lips parted slightly, a bit dry of the weather.

How long has it been since she paused to check on Dia? Is it a sin to witness such cute, sleeping face of hers?

Cute.

Cute, Mari stumbled at the word.

Right, Dia is cute. Her hair flowing black, with bangs cut in manner of traditional princess she saw in the picture book. There wasn’t much girl around her age with a hairstyle like Dia that Mari couldn’t miss a beat of it.

“Mm—“ Mari was near to drop from her chair, her heart making a full circle somersault inside her rib cage. Dia opened her eyes. Mari pulled herself away. Dia got up slowly, fixing her bed hair before she spoke. “... Mari-san ...? How long have you been there?”

Her throat went dry for reasons, like _reasons_. “I-I just got here!” she needed to make it sounds more ... believable. Oh well. “I w-wonder where Kanan is.”

“Oh. Right. She will not come today. She’s helping her parents’ shop,” Dia said, her tone is somewhat off because she just awakened. “I’m sorry. I was making our costume late to the night.” Mari wasn’t actually listening to it, too busy to make sure she’s not sputtering nonsense, or gaping like a fish, or, blushing. “Did you bring the finished song, Mari-san?”

 _Song?_ —She almost forgot the reason she was here as fast as she could. Her brain still all about Dia’s sleeping face. “Yeah. Don’t worry. It’s here.” She took out her phone and her purple-colored earphone. “Want to give it a go?”

Dia nodded. “Let’s match it with the lyrics we have so far.”

Mari turned on cue Dia looking over the white board. The lyrics stayed incomplete before the reff. “Oh, let me finish it.”

The blonde remained fixed on the board with Dia listening to her concoction of _Young Dreamer.mp3_ recorded in non-professional way, simple phone recording. Mari decided that she will fix herself to the board and calm her rapidly beating heart and faced Dia after the five minutes of song. However, that isn’t happening, since Mari turned her head when she catches Dia humming her solo.

The three of them got their own solo parts for the song, Kanan first-she has been appointed as the center by the latter two, followed by Dia and then her part. She was the one who made the song flow, so she won’t forget where the solo was.

_Words aren’t enough._

It hit her; the words weren’t enough to describe the swell inside her heart. She couldn’t connect her own feelings because she kept rejecting it, she wasn’t making it sure or discarding it.

Five minutes wasted so fast while she was staring at Dia who was absorbed to the song, before she unplugged the earphones off.

“It’s great, Mari-san, it’s perfect!” Dia’s smile was warm, she could feel every ounce of appreciation in it. “All left for us to do the choreography right.”

She wasn’t following, she was far too entranced, only to nod silently at Dia’s line. Fingers clutching to the marker. It’s a long way to go for their Aqours to sing Young Dreamers, and maybe enough time for Mari to cool her head over every possibilities her heart is going to make.


	4. A Retrace to Garden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They knew what's hidden, and they made up lies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't updated this for long! The college is started already and uhh uhm anyways. Sorry. I'll try hard to finish this.  
> THANK YOU FOR READING, KUDOS AND EVERYTHING THO.   
> I'm craving DiaMari everyday. I cry.
> 
> This chapter is like, a bit intermezzo of sort.  
> O,h if anyone asking what is Tochiman, it's Chika's inn.
> 
> Enjoy!

What wakes Mari up in the morning is the realization that she has someone waiting for her. She will get into her favorite shower spree and checked up phone after, reading the messages from Kanan and Dia before she proceeded to walk to the way where Starbright’s stable is. This might be Sunday, but their idol training didn’t know a holiday; Dia and Kanan would come by the Ohara Hotel to pick her up and there they would begin jogging. Mari wanted to cheat with Starbright, Kanan agreed that they raced the horse but Dia wholefully reject the idea.

Though, she didn’t know why her phone doesn’t stop vibrating from early in the morning, Mari wondered what happened...

 _‘IT’S TOKYO ITSTOKYOITSTOKYO’_ —filled their conversation, about ten times or so with occasional Kanan’s dolphin sticker, ranged from smiling to sweat-dropping.

Mari typed, “ _What?_ ”

Dia, a quick one second reply, “WE, AQOURS, ARE INVITED TO SCHOOL IDOL EVENT IN TOKYO!!!” oh wow Mari could imagine what horrendous and joyous expression Dia is making, she giggled. Dia typed another reply. “WE MUST ASSEMBLE IN THIS INSTANCE! YOU TWO WILL LOVE TO SEE THE MAIL!”

Kanan gave a curt ‘okay’ and there Mari waited gleefully for both of them to show up at Ohara Hotel’s Lobby.

[ _Ah. How she wish her days with them will not end._ ]

* * *

The mail that Dia got is _really_ addressed to them, the up and coming school idol group in far countryside to come and join them in a performance in Tokyo by the end of the month. It’s titled ‘Tokyo School Idol World’ event, and Mari got the message from Dia overly-excited gesture that if they, Aqours, is landing a great score for this event, they would be noticed and they could make sure of the entrance to Love Live! prelims.

Kanan was in a high spirit by seeing Dia, pumping her fist. “All right! We already get our costume and we need to train hard to memorize our choreography and finalize the song!”

Mari joined, “ _Go, go Aqours!_ ”

Dia gingerly talked about School Idol World event as they fit in the costume Dia brought. Dia already did a great job for making such cute, sailor- _fuku_ themed costume that is simple but cute. As Kanan just said, they still need to train their dancing more, seems like they would start at that everyday until the day is come.

“I’ll submit the mail tomorrow that we’ll attend as Aqours.” Dia said. “Let’s practice hard, Kanan-san, Mari-san!”

* * *

Though Kanan went with a light choreography for Young Dreamer, it wasn’t easy for the three of them to stay in sync.

Kanan is fast, _very fast_ , when Dia and Mari wanted to spin to switch side, they bound to collide with Kanan. Kanan sometimes missed the slow beat and walked to early and Dia having it hard to follow. Mari has a good stance, but she would find herself too immersed with the song that she missed her mark. Dia is a great dancer, but she is slower than the rest of the three that dragged them down. 

“Should we tone up the tempo?” Mari asked as she wiped her sweat with the towel. It has been their fifth run for the day after school and they didn’t get the choreography yet.

Dia shook her head, “The song is fine, Mari-san. I need to match up with Kanan-san so that we don’t have the problem during the center switch.”

“Don’t worry, we still get the time. We can do it!” Kanan encouraged. “Shall we call it a day, though? I see both of you are tired.”

“I can still keep going—“

“No, no, don’t push yourself, Mari.” Kanan stood in disapproval. “We can continue tomorrow.”

“ _Okay ..._ ”

[ _Ah. How she wish her days with them will not end. She thought as she brushed another application of student exchange away from her bag, putting the wide smile for Dia and Kanan to see._ ]

* * *

“Why ending the practice so sudden, Kanan-san?" 

_So Dia noticed,_ Kanan thought to herself when they walked home together that day. Kanan needed to get something from Tochiman so she tagged along. Dia finally asked when they were taking bus from school to the town, while both of them discussing of how to get the step right for their switch.

“You must know about this, Dia,” Kanan began. “About how Mari always called in to the teacher’s office after school.”

Dia rolled her eyes, “Ah ... she declined it again, right? Student exchange ...”

Kanan was the first to discover it when she happened to turn in papers to the teacher, she overheard the conversation and relayed it to Dia. Dia asked the teacher once about it and the teacher confirmed about it and told Dia how much application that Mari turned down to. Mari’s reasoning is always the same; that she wanted to stay, that she wanted to be a school idol; that she doesn’t interested to be in an exchange program.

“Should we call it quits?” those lilac eyes flickered. “School idol, I mean.”

It wasn’t the time to be selfish, Dia knew; and what they have been doing is more like playing and having fun around because of her—Kurosawa Dia’s—insistence. Dia brought Kanan a shine of school idol, and they recruited Mari because Mari is stylish and pretty, they weren’t aiming to be a professional, they kept going because they don’t want the school to be closed. They could also ask the townspeople to thwart the school closing instead being a school idol, since the school closing is still indefinite; they could find another way that’s not school idol, but they became the school idol because they wanted to shine.

“Will it be odd if we tell Mari-san to stop now?” Dia answered, she bit her lips after saying. “I mean ... umm. I don’t think she’d be amused if we told her to stop because we’re getting in her way ...”

Kanan leaned back to her chair, deep in thought as she sighs. “That’s right. Mari is stubborn,” she looked by the window. “We’re getting in her way but we can’t stop it.”

Dia didn’t know if what she said is selfish. Dia didn’t know what to do. She enjoyed their days together as a group, she wanted to be a school idol like her favorite group, she wanted to go to Tokyo with them as Aqours, she, she—

_We’re getting in her way / we should stop._

“How about we ... tell her to stop after the Tokyo event?” Dia said. “I-I think we might not be getting in the prelims yet and we’re not exactly famous like others ... I-I don’t mean to fluke, _we still need to do our best_ , but we can’t tell Mari-san now.”

Kanan folded her arms. “That sounds fine. Though we must not do it half-assed for Mari to know, nee?”

Dia didn’t know if what she said is selfish. Dia didn’t know what to do. She enjoyed their days together as a group, she wanted to be a school idol like her favorite group, she wanted to go to Tokyo with them as Aqours. Kurosawa Dia wanted to be in close with Matsuura Kanan and Ohara Mari more than anything. What Dia wanted—

“Dia?”

(Dia stopped. Her lips parted open. Her mind wasn’t in the conversation between her and Kanan.)


	5. A Treasured Smile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She overreacted; one stupid slip she doesn't expect will come.

_Should she hide the fact from her?_

The thought unconsciously swept Dia adrift in the middle of the class. She never knew that she would be the type to space out when the teacher is giving materials for tests. Her current desk is far to the edge of the class, she wouldn’t be seen if she gaze out to the window and sigh for a bit.

_Should she hide the fact from her?_

Her pencil eventually stops spinning, retracing back the conversation between her and Kanan; and her own idea that Kanan agreed on. She is selfish, she knew it; she wanted to be a school idol, she wanted to shine, she wanted to escape from every responsibility she needs to bear, she wanted to have fun, and there she’s doing it on the top of someone else’s suffering.

She dragged Mari into this, she also dragged Kanan; she’s a selfish girl who can’t do anything by herself.

“—Dia?”

Startled, her pencil met with the floor as she gasped, drifting away from the window to meet a pair of golden looking at her. Mari is standing in front of her table, her smile faded to a bland thin line as she observed Dia’s expression.

[Dia doesn’t know what face she is making right now, she—]

“Is something wrong? You look pale~” Mari’s voice is as high as usual. “The class is already over, Kanan left awhile ago to help the shop and you remained not moving!”

Her cheeks went aflame, quickly she scrambled to collect her stationary on the desk while Mari started to giggle. Dia wanted to groan at the response, but as she forced books in her bag, she saw the pamphlets of Tokyo School Idol World inside.

“Dia?” came Mari’s question again, maybe she was taking too long in pausing.

“I-I’m sorry,” Dia cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure. “I’m fine, no need to worry, Mari-san.”

Dia noticed there’s something different between them if it’s only two of them together. Mari would always put up a banter with her, or making fun of her, or picking up on her—but most of it happened when there’s Kanan or somebody else around. When they were alone, it was as if Dia trotted back to the lane of nostalgia, where Mari is still unreachable, foreign, silent Mari. Kanan is the one who can make the wheel turned, while Dia only followed suit; she doesn’t know how to express herself well around Mari. She doesn’t mind to be a shy Dia who observed from far distance while Kanan and Mari in their world, she has been nothing but a burden.

“You’re really quiet today,” Mari said, they were outside by the school gate now after walking side-by-side without any exchange. “If you’re unwell, I can take you home.”

“Our houses are on opposite sides,” Dia refused. “I said I’m fine. Perhaps it’s because of the summer heat.”

That reasoning was not convincing, Dia knew, and there she noticed a scrunch on Mari’s forehead; she’s clearly worried.

_We are getting in her way / we should stop._

Dia felt strength left her body, her shoulder droop in defeat. No, she should hide it—it’s for Mari’s sake. They are going to attend the Tokyo event and after that, they will disband; they are only a small group from a small rural town, there’s almost no chance for her to be good. They will put the show on but it will be the first and the last-Dia needs to give up, she must make Mari happy.

“ _Dia_!” Mari moved to clasp Dia’s cheeks so suddenly. “No, not good. It’s not good if you’re not smiling,” the blonde puffed her own cheek and started to give Dia a light pinch.

“I’m ... I’m sorry.”

“ _Argh_. What are you sorry for!?” Dia can’t exactly tell, but seems like Mari is ... frustrated? “If you’re fine then let me drag you to do something fun so you won’t be gloomy!”

“Wait, Mari-san—“

—And onward, while boarding in the bus to the town of Numazu, Mari didn’t let go off that hand.

* * *

Dia spaced out a lot today, there’s no need to be a genius to tell. Usually and almost everyday since they got the invitation to the Tokyo event, Dia has been in her highest tension as ever-drilling them to another long batch of school idol history along with new options of training regimens. Dia would say that she got it from several school idol groups websites online ... or something that Mari decided to tune it down often. When they arrived in Numazu station’s outskirt, Dia still nothing but a glum persona. 

“W-Where are we going?”

She didn’t know any place that will make Dia instantly smiles, she happened to blurt. “Tokyo!”

Dia’s eyes went wide. “H-Huh!? It’s already late!”

“I’ll call your parents for permission. I can ask my family copter to take us back!”

“I said, I’m fine! Now what’s wrong with _you_ , Mari-san?” Dia released her hand.

Mari paused, her mouth hangs open. _What’s wrong? Why does she getting worked up in such small thing? Why doesn’t she satisfied with simple answer stating that Dia is okay?_

“Because you won’t smile at all.” _Ugh, what is she doing, pulling stunts?_

“... I said, I’m fine, Mari-san ...” Dia repeated. “I—“

“Stupid! Stupid Dia!”

Emerald eyes blinked to see Mari hide her face and broke, running away from Dia to whatever crowd behind, disappears.

[ Mari acted in impulse and went with flow; she just wanted to see Dia having fun, she just— ]

* * *

 

The small park with fountain, packed with high school students around Numazu loitering around was lively that afternoon. Light bulbs started to flicker as the sun set. Mari just stopped running after awhile, separating herself from crowds of people coming and going to the station’s direction and away from Dia who was calling her, staying at the far side of the fountain. 

Mari doesn’t know what is right anymore. She doesn’t. Dia wasn’t strange, it was her that’s out of it. Mari was too worked up over how silent Dia is today, while Dia has always been someone quiet. Maybe Dia got a worst score in her exam earlier, maybe Dia didn’t get her pudding for lunch, maybe, maybe it’s simply that Dia wanted to be quiet as how she usually does-why does Mari getting so, _so—?_

Clenching her beating heart, Mari bit her lips, suppressing a scream; she doesn’t know whether she wants Dia to find her, witnessing her pathetic self or leave her, out in nowhere.

* * *

 

It wasn’t like Mari to behave like that, Dia thought to herself as her eyes cast everywhere to spot any blonde. She doesn’t know any other blondes in her life except Mari, it would be easy to distinguish the bright, golden spark even though the city is bustling with people.

It was because of her selfishness, it was because of her that she and Mari experienced such strain. Though Dia finds it awkward for the calm blonde to have a sudden outburst. It’s unlike how she usually pull a joke, it’s not how she behaved-she’s still the genuine Mari, she showed her worry because Dia has been weird all day, but Dia caught something else in the way her eyes pierced.

“Is it because the exchange program, like Kanan-san said?” Dia murmured.

That could be true, but it wasn’t a perfect answer.

“It’s no time to think about it, I should focus on searching for Mari-san.”

* * *

 

After a moment to sort herself out, Mari settled behind the biggest tree she could find there, leaning her back and catch a handful of air. _Why she’s getting worked up on seeing Dia’s smile?_ is what her mind brewing right now; all of those impulsive stunts she had been doing, what purpose it serves her? Why Dia must smile? What benefit she got from it?

Darkness already engulfed the pavement road, lamps illuminated the road barely, Mari would be harder to find at this rate; she could have all her time to think. 

Mari faintly remembered back when she liked to see the plain girl of the group enjoyed herself, immersed in the movement of traditional dancing. She also remembered how astonished when she acknowledged Dia’s passion for idols. She learnt how Dia could shine, she wanted to know more about Dia and before she realized, she is—

Hurried steps coming to her way with an echo of her name. Dia is running to her direction, passing and tumbling several office workers who were in the way. The raven-haired girl’s expression wasn’t that one of angry, or having an urge to shout, Dia gave Mari a relieved, happy smile.

“There ... you are,” she huffed. “I thought you left the place already, Mari-san ... I almost gave up.”

Mari could feel her heart skip as Dia placed her hands to meet hers, wearing the same stretch of lips she always adored of the Kurosawa Dia.

“I’m sorry that I’ve worried you and made you angry.” No, Mari didn’t expect this. Dia shouldn’t be the one who’s angry, questioning why the blonde is weird today, not for Dia to apologize. “I ensure you that I’m fine.”

She would love to brush the tense with joke, but she found herself not moving. She’s stunned; she’s stunned of the answer she’s getting at and how the things turned out.

“Dia, I ...” she swallowed her ‘answer’. “I-I’m sorry, too. For being childish and run away earlier.”

“... Have you calmed down now?” she asked. Her tone is slow, gentle.

Mari gave Dia’s palms a squeeze. “Mm.”

They stayed for some while, relishing at each and another presence, ignoring the possibility people watching them with odd looks.

Dia was the one who broke the stillness. “Look at the time; there’s no bus to Uchiura anymore.”

“I’ll call home and ask for a car to pick us up.” Mari nudged. “It’s my fault to drag you out here, so ...”

“There’s no room to argue, huh?” the raven-haired girl giggled. “Very well, I’m in your debt.”

“Oh, _come on,_ Dia.” a pout.

“Sorry, sorry.”

 

.

.

.

 

She learnt how Dia could shine.  
She wanted to know more about Dia.  
Before she realized, she is falling; she is falling for the shine of  the black diamond.


	6. A False Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She realizes; but she doesn't know what she is doing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lyrics translation is the courtesy of LL! wikia.  
> I'm sorry that this took awhile to update.

In actuality, Mari didn’t know what face to make when seeing Dia after that day.

She could always cover with sheepish grin and joke around about Dia’s wrinkled forehead, or something else about Dia’s feature, but it doesn’t seem right. Mari wanted to say nothing during their conversation, or talk to only Kanan, thinking Dia is nowhere in her world right now. Mari didn’t exactly follow the conversation about their preparation before going to Tokyo in next few days. Mari already booked their tickets beforehand, all they need is to decide what to bring.

“—So, what do you think, Mari-san?”

Golden eyes blinked, part of her BLT sandwich fell unconsciously from her hold back to her lunch box the moment Dia turned to spot her, fumbling.

“Hmm? Is something wrong, Mari?” Kanan piped, _and oh, how she would thank God for that_ , because Dia quickly rolls over to see Kanan instead of her.

“Sorry, I didn’t listen, _te-hee_.” Mari made up a laugh. Dia shot an annoyed look.

“It’s about Tokyo, Mari-san, Tokyo!” the raven-haired girl repeated. “I would like to go to Kanda-myojin but Kanan-san prohibit me from bringing sign board and lightstick ...”

Mari tuned down their conversation again as Dia ranted some more about Kanda shrine and u’s while Kanan countered every logic of Dia’s idol brain and focus to their actual Tokyo performance rather than not. The blonde sighed as she alternating between Kanan and Dia, feeling unusually out of place.

It wasn’t same anymore – only because of this ‘premonition’ of hers.

* * *

 

Dia walked back from the school alone after the three of them parted. They didn’t practice today because Kanan is helping her shop and Mari said she got something to do back in the hotel. It wasn’t like Dia try to pack their schedules tight to get more and more training done, sometimes resting is a fundamental part of a regimen, also they have their own lives besides aiming to save the school.

Her gaze landed to the sea beside her, she was alone as she waited for the bus to come, sometimes fixing invisible creases to her uniform while her eyes wandered.

_The sea is blue, so is the sky; Uchiura—Numazu is pretty, but its gleam was nothing to Tokyo or any other big city. They are there to lose, they are trying to gain nothing._

Dia bit her lips, trying to give a lump inside her throat a swallow to no avail.

_‘We’re hindrance to Mari, I know you know, Dia.’_

All Dia could sense is suffocation, bubbling inside her veins and never cease to disappear. Little by little, she noticed every change from Mari. How their distance had gotten hard to ignore, how the apparent sadness shown on those features, how she missed most of their conversation—Dia couldn’t overlook anymore.

She’s different, she isn’t as strong as Kanan – _why she must be jealous at how Kanan decide things and resolved?_ – Kurosawa Dia must stay as a bystander, a follower, nothing else, she didn’t have any rights to decide things she needed to do at this point.

 _‘Once the Tokyo event is over, we’ll disband.’_ / _‘Mari must think about her future, not us.’_

When Dia came to, she was a step closer to sea rather than catching the bus that came by to the stop. It was strange to feel her shoes sank to the sands, so she removed it and walked to the direction of the water.

The wind wasn’t too hard, it’s not the time of the afternoon yet, Dia was alone gazing to the sea, looking as if she’s searching for something rather than losing in her own thoughts.

When she turned, her feet stumbled to a small branch, abandoned by the course of the sands. Without a second thought, Dia picked up and started to doodle on the surface.

Dia wrote her name, and then random things like pudding, a dolphin, random lines, today’s math answer, and then a big Aqours.

Aqours.

Aqours. She stared hard on her own writing.

_Is it what she really wanted; for her dream to become false reality?_

Being school idols made her able to sing her hearts, freely, away from shackles of Kurosawa name, she no need to sing all by herself in the lonely beach any longer.

Sing.

 _That’s right. She used to spend her time late simply to sing there._ Dia’s eyes fixed back to the gleaming sea once more, relishing the feel.

 _Now, she has an actual song to sing,_ Dia wore her part in Young Dreamer to heart.

.

.

.

 

_Words are not enough_

_As there aren't enough words to do it justice_

_\- that's why we fail to connect_

_But I hated the fact_

_That we drifted apart, it's always been on my mind_

_._

In her surprise, someone else joined, singing their part.

 

_I can't stop feeling_

_That I want you to understand,  
I'm sure I've hurt you in the process_

_But I won't bother_

_Trying to hide this selfishness now  
as I just can't let go_

 

She thought Kanan was nearby from her scuba diving, yet it was the blonde in her question that passed by. Dia saw Mari descended, walking on the sand just like she is.

“Don’t you say you need to do something at the hotel?”

“I did,” the usual smile was there, but not the spark, Mari’s spark. “I … wanted to make sure of myself.”

Mari looked different, she was nowhere the same Mari who’ll goof around the moment she spotted Dia. Not the one who fight in an argument with Kanan. She was distant – she is not Mari that Dia knew, she resembled more of a stranger walking with a fake smile, having Ohara Mari has a mere name to define herself.

“There’s something I want to tell you.”

Dia didn’t know what changed, yet she understood that the ‘change’ in Mari didn’t mean harm. The blonde walked closer, now right beside her, looking to her eyes, her features reflecting the passing sun.

“Is it about Kanan-san?”

Mari shook her head.

“Exchange?”

Another move of disapproval, her smile still there. Dia didn’t know more words to guess.

“Then …?”

There was a crisp laugh, between the wind that started to blow.

“I honestly don’t know where to start,” Mari clutched her hand on her back, eyes fixated on her feet. “I … I think I’m in love.”


	7. that stagnant velocity

There’s not so much blonde in her life for her to remember.

Up until now, she still thought Mari’s presence as a magic, beautiful magic in her dull, daily life of someone with a name of ‘Kurosawa Dia’.

‘Kurosawa Dia’ who’ll inherit the Kurosawa fishing business, they said.

‘Kurosawa Dia’ that’s stoic, a good face for the class, they said.

It’s only between her, Mari and Kanan, where she’s allowed her true colors to prevail. At times, though, she wondered how their friendship began. The most prominent factor should be Kanan, Dia thought for once. It’s always Kanan – who’s flexible, athletic, everyone’s goody two shoes with a warm smile and good spirit. It’s always Kanan – who’d be talking to a foreign entity like Mari. It’s always Kanan who—

\--That time when Mari said she ‘fall in love’, what incurred to Dia is: “Oh, it should be _her_ not her _._ ”

Mari laughed sheepishly as her own description of her ‘love’ ended, Dia didn’t even catch any of what she’s talking, masking it with an occasional nod or head tilt.

Mari liked how _this person_ smiled.

Mari liked what _this person_ is doing with her life.

Mari liked why _this person_ was here to begin with.

Mari liked when _this person_ conversed with her.

Everything that Mari said seems to be someone far, far away in the height of fairy tale.

[ What’s so special about me – I’m far too rigid for even someone to be interested. ]

“Dia? Do you hear me?”

“Of course I am.” Her voice was more clipped than she’s expected. “Why don’t you confess then, if you loved this person so much?”

Mari’s eyes wandered, to the sea, to the sand, “Oh, umm,”it’s rare to see such composed blonde fidgeted. On such thing called ‘love’, so to say. “I do think it’s kind of ... not good if I do it now?”

[ Why _my_ heart continues to clench? ]

“Is that so,” Dia caught her stare, the twinkling eyes of golden that’s always mysterious to her. “But make sure you tell this person before it’s too late.”

.

As if a cat is caught in a bag—is what actually Mari feel. ‘ _Too late’_ , Dia said. It’s like a sharp arrow pierced through her heart and the hole can’t be closed. When is _too late?_ Is Dia coming in distance to her, now?

“R, Right. I will.” Mari balled her fist. “Anyways, umm, thank you for listening, Dia.”

There was an awkward silence befall before them. Mari noticed Dia’s expression gotten bleak in coming seconds, her smile is nowhere warm and the sunset is already gone from sight.

“You’re welcome, Mari-san.”

( Even that the blonde has lost from her viewfinder, the heart didn’t stop to ache. )


End file.
